Oregon O-Line: ‘O’ as in ‘Outstanding’

Casey Fluegge FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

Call them the Big Uglies, but what happens up front will ensure that college football’s highest octane offense remains a thing of beauty.  With the possible exception of quarterback, nowhere on Oregon’s roster is there more reason for optimism heading into the 2014 season than in the offensive line.  Provided Tyler Johnstone is able to rehab the torn ACL he …

Duck Baseball — A Man’s Bat is His Refuge

Gar Pearson FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

An aspect of a baseball game that we give very little thought to are the bats used. Bats are a very personal issue with ball players — and at the professional level it is almost a ‘reverent sacrilege’ to fool with another player’s bat.  Furthermore, let the equipment manager put a regular player’s bat in a different position in the rack and …

Moser’s Recent Dominance Continues, Ducks Take Care of Business

Dean Davis FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

LOS ANGELES, CA. – After an incredible double-OT win against UCLA on Thursday, the Ducks had little time to prepare for the Bruins’ cross-town rival USC on Saturday afternoon.  Earlier this season the Ducks defeated the Trojans, 78-66, and this time it wasn’t much different. Both teams started off making shot for shot – literally – as both teams finished shooting 46.2% …

College Football Nation: Hot Seats and FSU’s Drastic Unie Change

Jeff Hostetler FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

This is shaping up to be the summer of the hurry up offense and the attack it has come under.  I am okay with coaches arguing over the possible rule change all summer and taking jabs at each other.  Imagine how much bigger the Iron Bowl will be if Alabama’s Nick Saban and Auburn’s Gus Malzahn have all summer to speak …

Altman Deserves Some Love

Don Gilman FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

The Ducks could have folded, could have checked out, given up and quit.  One month ago they were spiraling out of control, looking lost (at times) on the court and appeared to be out of the equation for an NCAA tournament berth.  Lesser teams would have surrendered. But not these Ducks, and not this coach: Dana Altman. Certainly, there is …

Bracketology at FishDuck Headquarters

Kim Hastings FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

Far be it from us to drop names but Joe Lunardi (of bracketology fame) and Charles Fischer (of analysis video and GQ fame) are actually one and the same.  Too modest to brag but too accomplished for just one area of expertise, Joe/Charles (or as we call him, Loon Fish) predict the NCAA Tournament bracket with astounding accuracy each and …

Oregon Ducks & Weaves UCLA in 2 OT Win

Dean Davis FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

WESTWOOD, CA. – Holy moly, was this a battle for the ages!  If the Ducks ever needed a game to boost their confidence this was it!  After a frustrating loss to UCLA back in Eugene earlier this year, Oregon made a personal note to themselves that when they’d visit UCLA, they would take them down for how they embarrassed them …

Chip Kelly Update: Eagles, Ducks and Chemistry

Mark Saltveit FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

The NFL off season is completely different than college football’s in one significant way: the NFL team gets to pick its players through the draft, the trade and free agency, and fans get to speculate endlessly over who they should or shouldn’t choose.  For a college team, it’s more like being an old-fashioned high school girl at a dance, trying …

Pac-12 Power Positions: Running Backs

Pat Pannu FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

With months to go before the start of the 2014 football season, we’re forced to feed our football addiction by taking a look at some of the returning talent.  Throughout the Pac-12 this last year, running backs dazzled fans all over the conference and kept us on our toes.  Though they lost some top talent such as Ka’Deem Carey, Marion Grice, Bishop Sankey …

Lapray’s IQ Fundamental to Success

Alex Legarza FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

Basketball is a sport that has developed into a much more complex game than to those who knew it many years back.  It has certainly evolved into a bigger, faster and stronger game.  In such a sport which has so many essential components for both the team and individual players, principal fundamentals such as footwork, shooting and ball handling can …

Oregon Football Recruiting Analysis: 2015 Class Size Prediction & Scholarship Breakdown

Chris Charbonnier FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

While it seems like the 2014 class just signed their papers, the 2015 cycle is already well under way.  Two of the common questions early each year are: “How many scholarships are available?” and “How will those scholarships be used?” Using a method I’ve used each of the past two years to predict upcoming class numbers to within one player, …

New Depth and Bulk Will Make 2014 Rushing Attack Elite Even by Oregon’s Standards

Joey Holland FishWrap, FishWrap Archive

Over the past decade, Oregon’s rushing attack has set the standard in college football. This has been particularly evident since the arrival of Chip Kelly as offensive coordinator in 2007, as the Ducks have finished in the Top-10 nationally in rushing during each of the past seven seasons, a truly remarkable feat. Dating all the way back to the early …